The Met Office names storms when they are expected to cause medium or high impacts, and most years bring several. The damage that follows is predictable: trees on lines, roofs stripped, roads flooded, power off for a night or more. A warning normally arrives 24 to 72 hours ahead, which is enough time to do everything on this page.
Before (24 to 48 hours)
- Check the Met Office warnings and sign up for alerts
- Charge phones, power banks, laptops, torches
- Bring in or tie down garden furniture, bins, trampolines
- Park away from trees, walls and the sea front
- Fill a flask; make sure the kit is accessible
- Check on neighbours who may need help preparing
- Clear gutters and drains if it is safe to do so
During
- Stay indoors, away from windows; keep children and pets in
- Do not go to the coast to watch the waves
- No unnecessary driving; never through floodwater
- If the power goes, follow the power cut routine
- Radio on for local updates
- Do not go outside to fix anything until it has passed
After
- Check for roof, fence and chimney damage from the ground; no ladders in the wind
- Stay clear of fallen lines; call 105
- Photograph damage for insurance before clearing
- Check on neighbours, especially older people
- Watch for flooding, which often peaks after the rain stops
- Recharge and restock the kit
Before the storm
Read the warning properly
Each Met Office warning gives the area, the timing and the specific impacts: wind, rain, snow or a combination. An amber wind warning for your area means plan for a power cut. A rain warning on saturated ground means check your flood risk. Sign up for Met Office email alerts and switch on Emergency Alerts on your phone.
Charge everything
Phones, power banks, laptops, rechargeable torches, hearing aids, electric toothbrushes if you are precious about it. Fill the car with fuel or charge the EV. If the power goes for two days, this is the charge you will live on.
Secure the outside
Anything that can move, will. Bins into the garage or against a wall, furniture in or stacked and tied, trampoline flipped and weighted, hanging baskets down. Close and lock sheds and greenhouse doors. Move the car away from large trees and old walls.
Prepare for a power cut
Kit out and accessible. Torches distributed. A flask of hot water. Hot water bottles filled before bed if the storm will peak overnight. Freezer turned to its coldest setting so it holds longer if the power fails. The warmth guide covers the rest.
Check on people
Older neighbours, anyone living alone, anyone with medical equipment. Do they know a storm is coming? Have they got a torch? Would they like you to knock in the morning?
During the storm
Stay in. The deaths in UK storms are mostly from falling trees and debris, people on sea fronts, and drivers in floodwater. None of them happen on the sofa. Keep away from windows in the strongest gusts, keep children away from the conservatory, and do not go outside to rescue a fence panel; it can wait. If a tree comes down on the house, get everyone out of that part of the building and call 999 if anyone is hurt or the structure is unsafe.
If the power goes, you have practised this: call 105, fridge shut, torches on, one room warm. Keep the radio on; local radio carries road closures and restoration estimates.
After the storm
- Look up before you go out. Loose tiles, damaged chimneys and hanging branches fall after the wind drops. Check from the ground, not a ladder.
- Fallen lines are live. Keep ten metres back and call 105, or 999 if sparking. The same applies to anything touching them, including trees and cars.
- Photograph damage before you tidy. Insurers need evidence. Then make temporary repairs to prevent further damage; most policies expect this and will pay for reasonable costs.
- Flooding lags the rain. Rivers can peak a day or more after a storm passes. Keep an eye on flood warnings.
- Check on neighbours, especially anyone who may have been without power or heating overnight.
- Restock. Replace what you used, recharge what you drained, and note what you missed.
If you are away from home
Travelling in a storm is where the car kit matters. Check road closures with National Highways, Traffic Scotland or Traffic Wales before setting off, allow double the time, and if a road is closed, it is closed for a reason. Trains cancel at amber wind warnings because of trees on lines; check before heading to the station.
Common questions
What do yellow, amber and red warnings mean?
Yellow: be aware, some disruption likely, check plans. Amber: be prepared, likely travel disruption, power cuts and danger from flying debris, avoid unnecessary travel. Red: take action, danger to life, stay indoors and follow official advice. The Met Office issues them up to several days ahead and updates them as forecasts firm up.
Should I drive during a storm?
Not in an amber or red warning unless you must. High-sided vehicles are at risk on exposed roads and bridges, trees come down across minor roads, and floodwater on roads is impossible to judge. If you have to drive, slow down, keep both hands on the wheel, expect gusts on bridges and in gaps between buildings, and never drive into floodwater.
What should I do about garden furniture and trampolines?
Bring in or tie down anything that can move: furniture, trampolines, bins, planters, parasols. Trampolines are the classic storm casualty and regularly end up in neighbours' gardens or on power lines. Turn them upside down and weigh or peg them if you cannot move them.
My power is off after the storm. How long will it take?
Most customers are reconnected within 24 hours, but after major storms rural areas can wait several days while damaged lines are repaired. Call 105 for an estimate, listen to local radio, and use the three-day kit. Welfare vans and rest centres open for longer outages.